problems with gauges, pulled needles off

[Irish50]

The other Day i pulled my gauges out of my 2002 GT with everything off and took the cluster out of the car, i pulled the needles for the gas, oil, temp and voltage, once i figured out what a wanted i put them back on exactly where they were and when i turned the car back on they all went way over to the right so everything reads high. It is a 2002 mustang GT, is there a correct method to fixing the problem? I dont want to have to install the cluster w/o the cover and try to put them on with the key on.

If anyone has fixed this problem before please let me know, it will be greatly appreciated.

Jason

 

[streetstang03]

put the cluster back into the car w/o the needles on and hook it up. get into the diagnostics mode of the cluster w/ the motor running and slap the needles on according to the digital (correct) readout. for speed, you'll have to drive down a straight road and put the cruise on at 55mph or so and then stick the needle on while holding the car straight. for fuel, you'll just have to try and remember where it was (thats why you take pics of the car running and off before you remove the needles ). for temp, let the car warm up for a while and then put the needle on where it normally is.

http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/fcar/dtcodes.htm

 

[sgarlic]

Man I wish that worked for me. I don't know if everyone else's 04 is like mine, but you only have a limited amount of time to start the vehicle after you turn the ignition on (like 5 seconds from the time it chirps to the time it disables it,) so I can't ever see the "real time" HEC stuff.

Oh, and greetings to a fellow Tucsonian! If you see me driving around some day, give a hollar.

 

[streetstang03]

you have to hold the reset button down while starting your stang works just fine on mine

 

[Irish50]

WEll. I moved to California a month or so ago, Im now in Orange County, Santa Ana. But maybe when i visit my friends and family.
Thanks for the reply, thats what I thought, Was thinking there was a trick. Guessed Wrong.

 

[streetstang03]

i just told you the trick

 

[Irish50]

TRick as in w/o pulling the gauges off and guessing where they should be using the (hold the trip button), trick like reseting the gauges back to zero or something. Thanks for your help. I just cant imagine ford does it this way if you know what I mean.

 

[USMC03GT]

TRick as in w/o pulling the gauges off and guessing where they should be using the (hold the trip button), trick like reseting the gauges back to zero or something. Thanks for your help. I just cant imagine ford does it this way if you know what I mean.

Yeah they have a machine that they plug them into and it sends something like halfway signals to each gauge and they just plug the needles on.

Streetstang was right about the gauge diagnostic settings to set your gauges. I couldn't remember the fuel settings, so I just used a little math and figured out where the needle should be.

I think it was on mustangworld.com that had an article on this and it had all of the operating ranges for the gauges with it. That's what I used.

Sgarlic I have an 04 too, and the diagnostic works for me just fine. My car doesn't disable after 5 seconds. Do you have an aftermarket alarm or something?